Scientists from McMaster and Delhi University detect drug-resistant fungi in apples
Fungicides used to extend the shelf life of apples may be feeding a superbug" crisis by helping to house a drug-resistant deadly fungus, research out of McMaster University and the University of Delhi has revealed.
The pathogen detected in the stored apples - Candida auris - was first known to be found in hospitals, preying on immunocompromised patients.
In a study published in March 2022 in the journal mBio, authors found that stored apples were infected with drug-resistant C. auris, potentially arising from the ecological condition of stored apples sprayed with agricultural fungicides.
This study provided the first clue about how the multi-drug resistance chain might have been developed," Jianping Xu, a biology professor at McMaster University who co-authored the research Candida auris on Apples: Diversity and Clinical Significance," told The Spectator. The study was led by Anuradha Chowdhary, a medical mycology professor at the University of Delhi.
Of the nine tropical and temperate fruits - both fresh and stored - assessed during the research, Royal Gala and Red Delicious apples were found to be the reservoir of C. auris fungus, helping it to spread widely," Xu noted in a press release.
Xu specified that the two types of apples might not be the only food items affected by the fungi, but they are a couple of the ecological niches suitable for hosting it.
Last year, Xu and Chowdhary became the first to identify marine environments as the natural niche for the potentially fatal fungus outside of hospital setups. The fungus was found on the tropical Andaman Islands in India.
First discovered in Japan in 2009, the germ can fatally attack those with compromised immune systems. Antifungals often don't work against the pathogen.
The fungus has been listed among the five most urgent threats among antibiotic-resistant germs by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization.
Four out of the five fungi have already been identified in Canada - all were brought in via food imports, Xu said. The fungus can survive in salt and is heat resistant. This means it spreads easily and makes it hard for researchers to find a cure.
Xu suggests that on a policy level, we should find alternatives" to fungicides that have similar mechanisms for extending the shelf life of food items.
At a consumer level, he said, wash your apples well with soap because fungicides are designed to be water soluble."
Researchers are looking into other food items that are capable of growing in similar environments to determine if the fungus can also grow there, while also working to identify potential drug treatments.
Xu said his team is looking into genome sequences to understand how the fungus reproduces in nature so we can have a better grasp of how fast they mutate."
Ritika Dubey is a reporter at The Spectator. rdubey@thespec.com